Chief selector Ajit Agarkar and head coach Gautam Gambhir have reportedly backed Suryakumar Yadav to become the captain of India’s T20I team after Rohit Sharma’s retirement.
Ajit Agarkar even reportedly threatened to resign from his post if Hardik Pandya was named T20I captain.
Rohit Sharma announced his retirement from the shortest international format after guiding the team to victory in the 2024 T20 World Cup.
Hardik Pandya was expected to become the permanent T20I captain. Notably, Pandya led most of the T20Is in 2023 and was vice-captain in the T20 World Cup.
There were intense discussions between the BCCI selection committee and officials, including secretary Jay Shah, over the appointment of the new T20I captain.
Several reports suggested that Hardik was the favourite to replace Rohit Sharma, while some claimed that Suryakumar was leading the race for the post.
The debate between Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav over T20I captaincy ended with the announcement of the team for the series against Sri Lanka.
Suryakumar Yadav was named captain of the Indian T20I team, with Shubman Gill as vice-captain. Hardik was not given any leadership role.
Ajit Agarkar threatened to resign if Suryakumar Yadav was not appointed captain
According to the latest reports, there were disagreements within the BCCI regarding the T20I captaincy.
Cricblogger.com revealed that Ajit Agarkar and Gautam Gambhir have strongly backed Suryakumar Yadav, while BCCI secretary Jay Shah has backed Hardik Pandya for the captaincy.
The report further added that Ajit Agarkar threatened to quit if his preferred choice Suryakumar Yadav was not appointed as India’s T20I captain.
Gautam Gambhir also supported Agarkar’s stance. Jay Shah was under pressure to accept the decision taken by the two former cricketers.
Fitness is a clear challenge – Ajit Agarkar
Speaking at a press conference before the Indian team left for Sri Lanka, Ajit Agarkar revealed why Suryakumar Yadav was named the captain of the T20I.
He highlighted Hardik Pandya’s fitness issues and his unavailability for all series ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup.
“As far as Hardik is concerned, he remains a very important player for us,” Agarkar said. “Obviously, his fitness has been a challenge for him, and then it becomes difficult for the coach or the selectors.”
“Fitness is a clear challenge and we want someone who is available most of the time. Having said that, we believe Surya has the qualities required to be captain. We also believe we can handle Hardik better, we have seen what he can do with bat and ball in the World Cup. We spoke to all the players to see if their role has changed. And yes, we have spoken to him,” he added.
The Men in Blue recorded a 3-0 win in the T20I series against Sri Lanka under the leadership of Suryakumar Yadav.
Gautam Gambhir invited Hardik Pandya for a talk in the dressing room after the T20I series win. Hardik praised Suryakumar’s captaincy. Pandya did not take part in the ODI matches of the same tour.
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